Byron Buxton has been out of the Minnesota Twins lineup for the past couple of days. The Twins center fielder is dealing with hip discomfort. Typically, that ailment has been linked to his knee issues. It is an injury he had dealt with before, and could send him to the injured list once again.
Minnesota Twins hoping Byron Buxton can avoid the injured list
UPDATED 8/15 (3:50pm CST) : The Minnesota Twins have placed Byron Buxton on the 10-day injured list due to his hip injury. Edouard Julien has been recalled from Triple-A St. Paul. Buxton’s injured list placement can be backdated to August 13. With no structural damage, the hope would be that he misses the minimum and the cortisone shot does its job.
When the Minnesota Twins squared off against the division rival Kansas City Royals on Monday Byron Buxton was in the lineup. After a fifth inning strikeout he was out of the game.
Rocco Baldelli mentioned that Buxton tweaked his hip on a third inning swing . Once his fifth inning at bat was over, Buxton immediately went to the clubhouse. He now has had a cortisone injection to address the issue, and it’s a game of wait and see.
Hip discomfort is not new for Byron Buxton. He has missed substantial time for related issues in both 2021 and 2022. This season he missed just over two weeks in May due to general knee soreness.
It is beyond clear that his body will require routine shutdowns at this point. Although a trip to the injured list may be possible, Minnesota is hoping he can avoid that fate. If Buxton does need to be place on the injured list, a minimal stay that gets him through the conclusion of the season wouldn’t be the end of the world.
Related: Byron Buxton’s MRI Results are in, Twins Now Await Next Steps
Byron Buxton loss would be big for Minnesota Twins
When the Twins put Byron Buxton on the injured list back in May he owned just a .691 OPS. Since July 1st, he has been one of Minnesota’s best hitters . Buxton has a 1.081 OPS with 10 doubles and eight home runs across that 27-game stretch. Rocco Baldelli needing to construct lineups without that sort of production would be less than ideal.
Minnesota can backdate any stint on the injured list for Buxton to Tuesday August 13. That would make him first eligible to return on the 24th. The Twins return home next weekend for a series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Buxton would miss a road trip against the Texas Rangers and San Diego Padres.
Related: Twins, Carlos Correa Clearly Learned a Valuable Lesson Last Season
It has become a given that Buxton will get hurt. How often he can be healthy, and what he can produce while in that state, are the goals for Minnesota. It’s a blueprint that Carlos Correa and Royce Lewis have followed as well.
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